Ubuntu has come under a decent amount of flack over the past few months, particularly over their decision to use the 'Dash Search' to return results from Amazon by default in their most recent release.

That's a silly argument because, you know, it could be used for anything. Why continue working on Wayland, for example, because resources are limited and could instead be used on working on X.Org itself? Why continue working on X.Org when those same limited resources could instead be used on working on real-life stuff? And so on.

On the same note, there is no guarantee that even if those resources being used on developing Mir were used for something else that they'd be used for doing something you approve of simply because these guys are doing what they feel is worth their time, of their own volition.